Injection apparatus



June 24, 1930. H. s. MORTON INJECTION APPARATUS Filed Dec. :50. 1927Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED "STATES HENRY S. MORTON, FOREST GLEN,MARYLAND INJECTION APPARATUS Application filed December 30, 1927. SerialNo. 243,568.

This invention relates to injection apparatus and has for its object theprovision of an ampul in which the injectin needle is hermeticallyenclosed within the uidchamtiv ber of the ampul.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of an ampul inwhich the needle is arranged between the end closures of the ampul, oneof which functions as a plunger, the needle and the respective closuresbeing so constructed that both closures are penetrable by the needlewhen one of the closures is moved inwardly of the ampul, but with adifferent degree of penetrability, so that the working or injecting endof the needle penetrates its closure, before the opposite end of theneedle penetrates the closures with which it cooperates. y Other objectsof the invention will appear as the following description of a preferredembodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawings: I vFigure 1 is a longitudinal view partly in section,showing the ampul of the invention associated with the injecting means.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the needle in its projected positionrelative to the ,am'pul, and the closure which functions as a plunger ofthe needle.

Figure 3 is asection taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section taken alongzthe line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal view partly in section, showinga, modifiedform of needle.

Referring now in detail to the several Figures, the numeral 1 representsa tubular penetrated by the opposite end able material.

a short distance within the end, of the tubu-' .lar body as shown, sothat the extending portion of said-body may-act as a guide for suitableplunger operating means, such as the shows body which may be of glass oranyother suit-- element 4, which in this case is represented as a giasstube, for instance an ordinary test tu e. It is. to be understood thatthe invention primarily is concerned with the ampul alone and that anysuitable form of injecting apparatus may be used in conjunction therewith. The present illustrated embodiment inexpen sive injectingapparatus which, with the ampul and needle, maybe an thrown away afteronce using the ampul.-

Arranged longitudinally within the fluid chamberof the ampul with itsopposite ends resting against, or slightly penetrating the respectiveclosures, is the needle 5, which consists essentially of a forward orworking end which is provided with a bore in the usual manner, and whichcommunicates intermediatelywith the chamber of the ampul I by means of apassage 9. That portion of the needle rearwardly of said passage may beclosed in any suitable manner, being here shown as stopped at itsrearward end by a suitable sealing substance 11 such'as parafiin.

The opposite ends of the needle are of differ-. ent degrees ofacuteness, so that when pressure is transmitted from the rearwardclosure 3 through the needle to the forward trates the rearward closure.A stop 8 is provided on the needle at an intermediate point, and limitsthe extent of protrusion of the I needle, by abutting against the innerface 95 of the forward closure 2. In Figure 1 this stop has the form. ofa washer which is forced upon the forward end of the needle and abutsagainst a lug 10. The latter may i be struck up in the operation offorming the passage 9. 1

In the operation of the device, the ampul is placed within a suitableholder 14 having fingerpieces 15. Pressure is then exerted upon theplunger operating member 4, said pressure being transmitted through theneedle against the forward closure and causing the working end of theneedle to penetrate said "closure and to extend there through for apredetermined distance, that is to say until the washer 8 abuts againstthe closure 2. The forward movement of the needle will thus be stopped,and further pressure upon the plunger operating member 4 will cause therearward end of the needle, which is preferably chamfered or otherwiserendered somewhat sharp, to penetrate the rearward closure in afluidtight manner so that said closure may be forced down through theextent of the fluid chamber of the ampul. The liquid in the ampul isdischarged through the passage 9, and through the working end of theneedle.

It is obvious that the ampul should not be completely filled with liquidbut that sufficient air space will be reserved therein to permit thecompressability of the contents of the ampul necessary to allow theneedle to penetrate the forward closure. When penetration has once beeneffected, the air in said ampul may at once be discharged through theneedle. The body of'air in the ampul should be sufficient to fill itfrom the position of the washer as shown in Figure 1, to the'forwardclosure. If the amount of liquid in the ampul is slightly in excess ofthe quantity necessary to provide this air space, the excess of liquidwill be discharged until the washer 8 reaches its position in abutmentagainst the closure 2. It is of course recommended that in the initialoperation of the injecting apparatus, the working end thereof shall beheld uppermost, in order to insure discharge of the air before theliquid begins to discharge.

Inorder to hold the needle in place while filling the ampul, it may bedesirable to surround the rearward end of the needle with suitableallocating means such asthe spidershaped washer 13, which need be but aloose fit within the tubular body and is provided solely for the purposeof keeping the rear-v ward end of the needle in position tobe properlyengaged by the rearward closure in putting the latter in place. Thewasher is made spider-shaped so as to afford spaces through which theampul may be filled.

An inexpensive and practical form of needle is shown in Figure 5 inwhich a tubular wire forms the lower or working end of the needle, saidwire being an larly bent as indicated at 16 in order to a ord a stop,equivalent to the washer 8 shown .in that form. of the inventionillustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The angular portion of the wire is open,and affords communication between the fluid chamber of the ampul and theworking point ofthe needle. A rod 17 is welded or otherwise fixed to thewire 16 at the bend or elbow of the angularly disposed portion, that isto say substantially in axial alignment with the 'worln'ng end of theneedle. The free end of this rod is constructed so as to enable it topenetrate the rearward closure, but as in the former case,

it is not quite as acute as the working point of the needle, so as toassure that the forwardclosure of the ampul will be penetrated prior tothe rearward closure.

It is obvious that an ampul constructed according to the principles ofthepresent invention is not only adapted for use with injectingapparatus-which is designed to be cast awayafter-once using, but that itmay be used in any ampul receiving syringe, the only modificationnecessary being that the plunger rod would have to be hollow to receivethe extended rearward end of the needle. I

.While I have in the above description defined what is the preferredembodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that thespecific construction shown is not limitative in its relation to thescope of the invention but that the latter is to be construed 'in thelightof the appended claims.

Having thus described my mvention, what I desire to claim and secure byLetters ent is:

1. In injection apparatus, an ampul, pene- Pattrable closures thereforenclosing a chammore readily penetrated than the opposite closure whenpressure is applied to the movable closure and transmitted through saidneedle, a stop on said needle cooperating with the forward closure fordetermining the limit of protrusion of said needle and for effectingthereafter the penetration of said movable closure upon continuedmovement of the latter, the bore of said needle communicatingintermediately with said chamber. l

2. A needle for an ampul of that type in which the needle is enclosed inthe fluid chamber of the ampul and is caused to successively puncturetheend closures of said ampul when one of said closures is forced inward,functioning as a plunger, said needle comprising a tubular portionhaving an angularly disposed inner. end, and an im-- in which the needleis enclosed in the fluid chamber of the ampul and is caused successivelyto puncture the end closures. of said ampul when one of said closures isforced inward, functioning as a plunger, said needle comprising atubular portion having a lateral opening intermediate the ends of saidneedle, and means forming a stop also at an intermediate portion of saidneedle.

4. A needle for an ampul of'that type in which the needle is enclosed inthe fluid chamber of the ampul and is caused successively to puncturethe end closures of said ampul when one of said closures is forcedinward, functioning as a plunger, said needle comprising a tubularportion having a lateral opening intermediate the ends of said needle,and means forming a stop also at an intermediate portion of said needle,the opposite ends of said needle having a different degree of acuteness.

5. In injecting apparatus, an ampul comprising a tubular bod penetrableclosures therefor enclosing a uid chamber, one of said closures beingmovable to function as a plunger, a needle in said chamber having itsoppositeends operatively positioned to penetrate said closures when themovabl one of them is pressed inwardly of said body, the working end ofsaid needle being more readily penetrable through the closure with whichit is associated than is the rearward end of the needle with respect toits associated "closure, said needle being provided intermediately witha passage communicating with said chamber, and with a stop engageablewith the forward closure.

to limit the extent of protrusion of said needle and to determine thesubsequent penetration of the rearward closure by said needle, so thatsaid closure may be pushed into said chamber to discharge the contentsthereof through said needle notwithstanding the stationary condition ofthelatter.

6. In combination, an ampul, and a syringe for receiving the same, saidampul having end closures, the inner end closure being movable, andsaidsyringe having a hollow plunger rod for pushing said. inner end closureinto said ampul, a needle initially wholly enclosed within said ampul,the

ends of which penetrate and protrude through the end closures as therear end closure is pushed in said plunger rod telescopin over therearwardly protruding end of sai needle.

7. An ampul including a tube havin spaced end closures, and a doubleende needle initially enclosed within said ampul supported between saidclosures, the relativepenetrability of the forward end of the I needlewith respect to the front closure being greater than the relativepenetrability of the rearward end of the needle with respect to therearward closure whereby when said closures are pressed together theneedle penetrates successively the forward and then the rearwardclosure, said needle-being open to the interior of said ampul.

8.-'An am 111 including a .tube having spaced endc osu'res, and'meansincluding a needle. normally enclosed within said ampul and supportedbetween said closures, said means and the respective end closures beingconstructed with different relative degrees of penetrability, wherebywhen said closures are pressed together said means punc- *0 turessuccessively the forward and then the rearward closure, said needlebeing open to the interior of said ampul.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HENRY S. MORTON.

